He has showed you, O man, what is good. This verse is a handy summary of the whole spiritual life. It tells us the LORD God has already shown us what is the good.

what does the Lord require of you. The LORD God has already shown us what is requires of us:

To act justly. Justice is required of us believers.

to love mercy. We are to have a tender heart. Our heart is to overflow with compassion.

to walk humbly with your God. We are to walk with God. Humbly, yes. But we are to walk with God.

This is so simple. It is so freeing! God longs for us to be free.

JUDGMENT DUE TO SIN

VERSE 9. The LORD’s voice calls to the city — and wisdom fears your name— “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.

Listen to the rod. This probably means that when the LORD God speaks, we should respond in reverential obedience.

VERSE 10. Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short efah that is accursed?

treasures of wickedness. They were corrupt. They were deceptive in their business practices. Specifically, they cheated their customers by using a short efah:

a short efah. An efah is a measure of volume (about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel). A short efah is made smaller than a full efah for the purpose of cheating customers.

VERSE 11. Shall I tolerate dishonest scales, and a bag of deceitful weights?

dishonest scales. This is another way they cheated their customers.

deceitful weights. This is yet another way they cheated their customers.

VERSE 12. Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.

inhabitants speak lies. Another category of their corruption was lying. They lied all the time.

tongue is deceitful in their speech. They had eradicated truth from their lives. They drove out facts like a demon.

In our day, this is the condition of many Christians. We refer to it as “the epistemological crisis.”

VERSE 13. Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.

VERSE 14. You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your hunger will be within you. You will store up, but not save, and that which you save I will give up to the sword.

Due to their own sins, the conditions of their lives were failing.

eat, but not be satisfied. Their food will not satisfy them.

store up, but not save. Whatever they store up will be taken by their enemies.

VERSE 15. You will sow, but won’t reap. You will tread the olives, but won’t anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won’t drink the wine.

sow, but won’t reap. Their planting will bring no harvest for them.

VERSE 16. For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of Ahab’s house. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and your inhabitants a hissing. You will bear the reproach of my people.”

Author: todd

At Explore the Faith, I share insights into the Bible and theological writings. If you like what I write, become my partner by donating. Help me reach the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.
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